


Save Me

by Hansonism



Category: Hanson
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-29
Updated: 2014-08-29
Packaged: 2018-02-15 05:17:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,952
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2217141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hansonism/pseuds/Hansonism
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Taylor, his brothers and his sons spend the day at the lake when tragedy strikes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Save Me

**Author's Note:**

> Posted on 8/28. Added the parts I forgot on 8/29. Feel free to reread. ;)

_Won't you save me? Cause saving's what I need..._

"Where's Ezra?" Taylor asked as he came back from the front of the boat. He gulped a swig of his beer not really fussed by the fact that his three sons had suddenly become quiet. Maybe they just settled down to nap, he thought. Taylor was really enjoying this day out on the lake with his three brothers and his own boys. _Male bonding..._ Taylor gurgled up some of the beer he was swallowing when that thought hit him then chuckled as he tripped a little bumping up against, Isaac. "I am so not drunk." He said smirking before his oldest brother could say anything, and it was true, Taylor wasn't roaring drunk, just feeling kind of good.

 _Dad..._ Ezra knew he shouldn't have gone swimming without telling his father and taking, River and Viggo with him was a big time mistake. "Riv!" Ezra almost lost hold of Viggo when he turned around to see his younger brother close behind. "Gotta help me." Ezra breathed out. River felt a surge of strength when he saw Viggo's head dip below the surface and he was beneath him in a second coming up to the surface after Viggo did. "Dad's gonna kill us." River mumbled. He didn't tell Ezra how tired his arms felt or how his heavy legs were making him think he was going to go under.

Taylor looked out at the lake marveled by its size. He shielded his eyes from the sun as he scanned the surface trying to figure out just how big it was when he saw them. "What the hell?" He blinked his eyes not certain if he really saw them. "Oh, fuck!" Taylor didn't waste any time calling out to his now napping brothers or even taking off his clothes; he just dove off the side of the boat and started swimming. They were further away than he thought but he could make out their faces. Ezra had a precarious grasp on his youngest boy and even though Viggo was wearing a life vest it didn't seem to be keeping his head above the surface. 

"Ezra!" Taylor called out hoping the knowledge that he was on his way would give his eldest a jolt and some strength that he seemed to desperately need. River. Where is River? Just as Taylor felt an enormous pang of grief he saw the middle boy's head appear and his arm reach out to Ezra. Ezra's head went under, but River somehow kept Viggo's above the surface. Taylor stopped swimming long enough to turn around and call out to his brothers but didn't wait to see if they heard or not before he turned back towards his boys and swam all the faster.

"Where's, Taylor?" MacKenzie nudged, Zac who nudged him back. 

"Who knows. Probably passed out at the front of the boat." Isaac joined them.

Almost lunch." Isaac advised in his eldest brother voice. "Go get everyone."

Taylor finally reached them and grabbed, Viggo since he seemed to be already drowned. "No." He whispered and looked at Ezra. "Go get Uncle." Taylor said to Ezra then nodded at River before he cradled Viggo's head in his elbow, his legs pumping to keep himself afloat, then leaned over to give his youngest son a breath.

"Daddy!" River cried out and his hand wrapped around, Taylor's free arm wrenching the hand that was keeping Viggo's head steady. River was exhausted and panicky. He thought if he let go of his father, he would sink below the surface and be lost forever.

 _But, Viggo's not breathing! I have to..._ Taylor swallowed his own panic and looked at, River. "Son. Just hold onto me but let me breathe for Viggo, ok?" River nodded, his eyes wide not wanting to break the gaze he held with his father. Why didn't anyone see this epic struggle going on? Taylor found himself pushing away one panicky thought after another. His only goal now was to save each of his sons and that meant he had to be calm and strong. Taylor was a strong swimmer and believed he could do it but he wasn't sure how long, Viggo had been without air and was afraid to start swimming back to the boat without at least giving a good try with CPR. He leaned over again, this time one handed and put his mouth over Viggo's mouth and nose breathing into him. He did it again and once more when he heard a splash and spotted the red hair sinking slowly below the surface. "Ezra!" Taylor reached with arm that, River held, his fingers grasping a batch of that hair just in time. Ezra came up sputtering. "Easy son." Taylor tried to calm him and glanced at the boat again. This time his heart sank. The boat seemed so far away. Taylor choked off his cry of despair and tried to think while holding all three of his boys.

"Tay's not here." Zac stood beside, Isaac. MacKenzie looked frightened. "Neither are the boys." He said.

"What?" Isaac broke free of both of them and started scanning the water. They were too far out for them to have possibly swum to shore. "There they are!" Isaac pointed.

Fatigue was setting in and, Taylor's panic started to rise. "No!" Even that word was choked off as his head slipped beneath the surface. The boys clung to their father's still free arm trying to bring him up as well as keeping themselves afloat. Ezra reached out and pulled on, Viggo's life jacket pulling his face above the surface.

"Daddy...." River whined, tears falling down his cheeks as he tried to grasp at the top of, Taylor's head, the hairs flowing out at the surface.

 _Just rest a minute...,_ Taylor told himself as he held his breath. His legs that had been kicking so hard were just bicycling slowly below him as he tried to recapture his calm. _For the boys..._ , he reminded himself.

"Daddy's drownding!" River screamed digging his nails into, Taylor's arm.

"No!" Taylor's head popped up and his legs moved more quickly. "I'm ok, Riv. I'm ok." Taylor glanced at Viggo's bluish tinge. "Boys. I have to do CPR. I really have to." Ezra nodded and gripped Taylor's arm harder so that River could grip his. Taylor looked at Viggo then began to breathe for him. He counted off the number of times his hand pressed into Viggo's chest then began to breathe for him again.

"Give him to me!" Isaac was leaning over the side of the boat his arm outstretched to take, Viggo first and continue the resuscitation. Taylor didn't hear him, he was too busy trying to save his son.

"Daddy!" Ezra let go of Taylor's arm and moved to the boat reaching his arm up. MacKenzie grasped Ezra's hand and pulled him up easily

"Taylor!" Zac shouted. "Taylor give him to us!"

Taylor lifted his head and looked up, dazed at the boat.

"Give him to us, buddy." Zac and Isaac were both now offering their hands.

Taylor blinked a few times still not sure what was happening. His fatigue was strong and his fear was paralyzing.

"Come on, Tay." Isaac coached. "Give him to us."

Taylor finally snapped out of his fog and moved towards the boat pulling River with him. "He's not breathing!" Taylor's face was a mask of desperation.

"Give him to us. We'll do it." Zac pled with, Taylor. MacKenzie had already gotten River into the boat and he and Ezra sat down thankful that everything was going to be all right.

"Got him." Zac said and lay, Viggo down on the floor of the boat working CPR like it was his job. MacKenzie sat with the older two boys comforting them.

"Give me your hand, Tay." Ike leaned far over the side and reached for Taylor.

"Just let me rest a minute." Taylor's hand was pressed against the side of the boat as he tried to recover from the ordeal he had just been through.

"You can rest up here." Isaac moved just a little bit further forward. "Come on."

"No. I'm good. Just a few minutes." Taylor took in a deep breath and gave his brother a slight grin.

"Ok." Isaac said. "I'll got work on, Viggo with Zac." He turned his head for a second. "Looks like he might be coming around, Tay!"

Taylor looked up but Isaac wasn't there anymore. "Thank, God." Taylor said softly thinking about his youngest son. Suddenly his clothes became extraordinarily heavy. It was as if the relief had zapped the last of his strength and his head slipped beneath the surface, the hand that was pressed against the side of the boat following slowly beneath the surface.

 _Save me..._ Taylor looked up, the surface just a mere foot away. It seemed easier for him to just stay below the surface and give in. He was tired. He wanted to sleep. The burning in his chest brought Taylor back to reality long enough for him to surge up and take a breath, his hand reaching for Isaac's hand but it was no longer there. Silently, he slipped below the surface again. _I'm drowning..._ , The realization caused Taylor to panic and with one last burst of energy he surfaced again and tried to call out, but all he heard was a soft gurgling sound as his clothes pulled him down again.

"Taylor! Viggo's conscious!" Isaac leaned over to give his brother the good news. "Taylor?"

Taylor had already suffered his drowning, frantically trying to climb invisible ladders to the surface that never seemed to get him any closer no matter how hard he tried. The moment finally came when he could no longer resist the urge to breathe and he did, knowing it was the last time he would. The water tasted acidic and burned his lungs as it rushed in with each choking gulp he took. The only thing he thought about was getting to that surface as his body went into some sort of automatic pilot trying to rid itself of the killing fluid but failing. Taylor's struggles had become slow and ineffective and he was aware of floating down. The water got colder but the pain disappeared. _Is this the good part of drowning?_ , The thought was a lazy one and it was also his last as the light disappeared and he no longer saw or heard anything.

"Taylor!" Zac dove into the water searching frantically for his brother. There were a few telltale bubbles popping on the surface, but it was so dark below he could hardly see anything.

Taylor's body hit the soft, sandy bottom. To an onlooker it would seem he was still struggling as his torso convulsed and his lungs still tried to reject the water that was there. After several minutes he finally settled, quiet.

**Taylor Hanson of the rock band Hanson hailed a hero**

_Taylor Hanson, age 31, drowned on Friday, August 28, 2014 after saving his three sons from a watery grave. It's assumed that fatigue made it impossible for Mr. Hanson to save himself in a tragic turn of events, but he will be remembered as a true hero to his surviving children, wife, family and fans._

_"It's the way, Taylor was.", his mother Diana told reporters in a brief statement. "Taylor always put himself second to the ones he loved."_

_Taylor is survived by his brothers, Isaac, Zachary and MacKenzie; his sisters, Jessica, Avery and Zoe; his wife, Natalie; his children Ezra, Penelope, River, Viggo and Willa; his parents, Diana and Walker and will be missed by millions of fans around the world._


End file.
